


Breakthrough

by Darkwing709



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime, Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2015)
Genre: Ariel chase, Car Chase, Darkwing is an actual transformer, Lotsa OCs for new villain faction, More tags will be uploaded later as the story coninues, Multi, New Factions, Optimus gets nervous while flying, Politics, Sequel to Robots in Disguise 2015, Star Wars Parody, Village raids, look him up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-01-29
Packaged: 2018-08-29 04:46:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8475961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkwing709/pseuds/Darkwing709
Summary: Star Wars + Transformers = What you're about to read!Peace had been brought to Cybertron, and for Optimus that was all that mattered. The Decepticons had been defeated and all Cybertronians had been ordered back to the home system by the new Council. War seemed like nothing more than a distant memory.That was until Decepticon remnants began to rebel against the heavy handed Autobot rule. Desperate to keep the peace, the Council voted on the creation of a new military branch: the PROVIDENCE. The small Decepticon rebellion had been quickly extinguished, and with it the last remaining influence of Megatron.Over time, the PROVIDENCE began to develop an aggressive behavior towards outlying systems, striking against the small planets who could not defend themselves. Deciding to take a stand, Optimus Prime regrouped his former Autobots and began a new battle against the sinister PROVIDENCE. All the while the Council stands by and watches from a distance...





	

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bum! Bum! Bum! Buuuum! Buuuum! Meh~ I can't do summaries

Parallel clouds of dust followed Bumblebee and Sideswipe across the white sand dunes of Astrea, Cybertron’s smallest moon. Their mission that day was simple. Find a mech named Red Alert, then leave. Yet why did Bumblebee’s engine sputter every few nanoclicks? Sideswipe took notice. “You ok, Bee?” He asked.

“Just worried,” Bumblebee said. And it was the truth he hoped was a lie. Worried about the possibility of being discovered was ridiculous. Astrea was known to be a backwater moon, and a safe haven for cybetronions who wished to escape war. So why the increase in speed?

“Slow down, Bee! You’re gonna pop your rear axle!” Sideswipe said.

“Sorry, I just wanna get this over with.”

“What? Worried Red Alert might not be that much of a talker?”

“Sure, let’s go with that,” Bumblebee ended the conversation on that note, and sped over another dune. Sideswipe took his time, careful not to damage his fresh coat of paint. Few minutes passed before the sight of an energy dome peeked its head over the horizon made of dunes. Bumblebee’s engine had calmed to a degree.

Once Bumblebee had scaled the last of the sand dunes the landscape leveled off to an even surface about one hundred meters in diameter around the protected village. Sideswipe took joy in the smooth ride as it meant less scratches on his underside. 

The gate of the village towered over the two autobots. Simple in design, two gray doors acted as the only means of coming and going. A control pad sat to the left of the doors on the steel plaine wall. Bumblebee transformed, and placed his servo on the center of the control pad. A series of small beeps occurred, before a loud “clank” came from within. The gate doors opened slowly, and allowed them entry.

An automatic analysis of the village that came from years of war showed it to be a peaceful area. Small with travelers passing through, and no militia to speak of. Unfortunately, their brighter color schemes stood out among the natural coloring of the landscape.

Sideswipe cupped his servos around his vocalizer and shouted, “Anybody here know Red Alert?” The closest villager to the pair startled and widened their optics before quickly walking past at a faster pace. Many of the other villagers reacted in a similar way, not inclined to offer assistance to the two strangers.

“Sides!” Bumblebee chastised. 

“What?!” he swiveled to look at Bumblebee helm on. “Look at these guys, they wouldn’t harm a fly.” Bumblebee pinched the bridge of his chevron. Primus give him patience.

“You never know who might be listening.” Sideswipe walked further into the village, and peeked into the spaces between houses and alleyways. Bumblebee followed at a sedated pace.

“Look, I get that Optimus wants this mission to be a secret and all, but I mean, c’mon,” he started to walk backwards, “ We’re on Astrea, the smallest moon of Cybertron. Barely anyone comes here. Even the Providence doesn’t pay attention to this... ” Both Sideswipe and Bumblebee surveyed the surrounding mechs and femmes who seemed to expect some sort of verbal insult.

“This… small town,” he finished, and grinned cheekily. Bumblebee shook his helm and sighed.

“I hope you’re right,” he said. Sideswipe was about to retort when a red and white mech approached them.

“Excuse me, you said you were looking for Red Alert,” the red and white mech said. Sideswipe nodded, noticing the villagers had relaxed in his peripheral vision.

“That we are,” Bumblebee replied, stepping forward. He flicked his optics towards Sideswipe, also noting the relaxation of the villagers, before beaming at the red and white mech.

The mech nodded quickly, and gestured them to follow him, “ This way.” Sideswipe took a step forward to follow. He glanced over at Bumblebee who nodded before taking a defensive flank position. They proceeded to follow the mech to his hut.

The journey through the village was… interesting. Whoever they were following had to be of importance to the people of the village. If it weren’t for their new “friend,” Bumblee considered it likely that the atmosphere between him and the villagers now would be much more tense and unwelcoming. And for good reason. Bee well understood the reasoning behind the villagers’ skittish behaviour towards him and Sideswipe.  
Nobody wanted another war, and neither was it needed.

“Isn't that your home back there?” Sideswipe asked, pointing to the hut the red and white mech had emerged from. The mech looked over his shoulder and flicked his optics to Bumblebee who stayed a few steps behind Sideswipe. 

“No, that would be the local medic’s hut.” Sideswipe didn’t react except for a slight tilt of his helm towards Bee who in turn merely shrugged his shoulders. They arrived at the hut situated at the highest point in the village, proceeding to go around the side of it before entering through the back.

Once the door closed, one of the villagers who had previously been leaning on a building, watching the procession, activated a comm.  
“They’re here.”

The hut was decently sized. Big enough for a small gathering, but small enough to send the message “appreciated isolation.” Kitchen in the corner, table in the center, and an up to date holonet projector for your local broadcasting of “Minibot battle royale!” Most likely for background noise Bumblebee mused. Yah, definitely background noise. Possessions were, but not limited to, Datapads, security cameras, and energon umbrellas. Cozy, but bare. 

The mech took a seat at the center table, and invited them to join. The two obliged, but still had their suspicions. Slowly, their afts moved down to the patient chairs in unison just in case there was some sort of whoopie cushion of death waiting for their metallic bumpers to detonate. Sideswipe didn’t mind the idea. So long as it was hilarious.  
“I’ve been expecting you. Optimus informed me of your arrival,” the mech had a small smile form at the corners of his faceplates as he noticed the tension fly from both of their frames. 

“Wait,” Sideswipe began.

“You’re Red Alert?” Bumblebee finished the question for him.

“One and only,” Red Alert said, leaning back in his seat satisfied at their reactions.

“You have what we need then?” Bumblebee was on the edge of his seat.

Red Alert heaved a sigh, “I do, but I can’t say I’m not apprehensive about this whole thing. What you’re doing is far beyond risky.”

“Then you know how important this is,” Bumblebee replied.

Red just sat there for a moment, thinking about the past. About the Great War and what it had done. It had turned even the most idealistic of bots into cold, power hungry tyrants. “I do,” he finally replied. Pressing a button on his wrist, every window throughout the hut snapped close. He reached his fist into the middle of the table, and gave a subtle knock. Two datapads sprung from where his servo made contact. Bee and Sides stared wide optic at the secret compartment.

The older mech picked up one of the datapads, and ran his servoss over it gently, “I kept this one hidden for many eons,” giving it a final pat, he handed it over to Bee. “This one, I’ve taken just recently. Take them. Keep them safe,” he said. As he began to hand the second one over, he paused, catching their optics. “No matter what.” He released the pads.

Bee accepted them, careful with every single movement, and tucked them into his subspace, “I will.” He looked at Sideswipe who nodded.

“We will.”

“We promise.”

Red Alert smiled, “I know you will.”

The moment of silence was broken when beeping sounded throughout the house. Red Alert stiffened before he shot out of his chair, and headed for the closest window. What he saw made him snarl, and curse not at all unlike another red and white mech. Bee and Side’s warily went to join him at the window, only to glimpse a black silhouette of a Providence Shuttle, haloed by the setting sun.  
Red Alert stared at the ship, “He’s here.” 

The shuttle’s landing gear began to unfold from its bottom as it approached the village gate.

“You need to leave,” Red Alert turned to look at Bee and Sideswipe, “Now!” They both had twin looks of stubbornness on their faceplates. Red Alert hurried over to a large rug, and started to fiddle with something until a hatch was removed and a passage revealed.

“Let us stay,” Bee half demanded, half pleaded. “We can help.”

“We’re a peaceful settlement,” Red Alert attempted to persuade, “They have no reason to harm us.” The unspoken, it hasn't stopped them before could be heard throughout the room. A moment passed in silence.

Realizing that his attempt to persuade fell on deaf audio receptors, Red Alert tried again, “What’s more important, me, or this?” He gestured to Bee’s subspace. The scout’s silence was answer enough no matter how many times he opened and closed his vocalizer trying to dispute.

Red Alert grabbed Bee’s arms and shoved, “Go!”  
Bumblebee began to descend into the passage. Before he proceeded a few steps more, he turned to face the older mech. “Thank you.”

Red Alert snorted, “You can thank me by getting those datapads outta here.”

Bee nodded in response, “I will- Sideswipe?” They turned to the open door where the long shadow of the Providence Shuttle threw half the village into darkness, and a faint outline of a mech that ran towards it.

“Scrap!”

Landing gear touched down a few yards away from the village gates, and the Providence Shuttle hissed as it settled. Engines powering down, its wings folded upwards, and the last rays of sunlight created a somewhat deformed decepticon symbol. The purple glow from within distorted the true colors of the sunset.

Bumblebee pushed passed Red Alert to get to the door. “I need to find him.”

“No!” Red Alert managed to snag Bumblebee’s arm before he could rush out the door. Seeing the protest on his lips Red hurriedly added, “I’ll get the brat, You need to leave.” Bee hesitated, weighing his options, which admittedly, weren’t that great. He slid into his spec ops mindset.

He trusted Red Alert. He refused to leave Sideswipe behind. The data pads in his subspace were worth more than the lives of the entire village combined. Said pads needed to get to Optimus. The Providence would never stop until they either had the data pads, or when the contents were revealed. ‘And maybe not even then,’ a dark part of Bee’s mind whispered. He dreaded to imagine what they would do, considering what they had already done. They had openly defied the New Order of Cybertron, and we’re growing unusually confident in their recent excursions to Velocitron. And the New Order did nothing to stop them. They desperately needed a military branch after the end of the Great War, and the ones who had been so eager to join were too sweet to resist. It was protection against that unspoken threat of the Decepticons’ return. But the threat had already been defeated, allowing a new one to take advantage of the misdirected focus. 

The decision took less than a minute to make. Bee looked at Red Alert and nodded before turning and charging into the passage leaving Red Alert to stare at the shuttle start to unload.

Troops marched down the shuttle’s ramps forming two columns that framed several mechs who descended, and headed towards the village gates. Their pace and strut all but screaming, arrogance, power, and anger.

The gates of the village opened, and revealed seven figures. The very middle mech was of average height and build; a mirror image of Optimus if it weren’t for the violet tones and visor along with a battle mask that left no indication of his emotions.

On his right, General Province walked two steps behind him. A slim, but lithe mech with red biolights. Wheels that acted like spurs gave way that his alt mode was some sort of car, and the pitch black cape that hung off of one of his shoulders completed the image of an Earth cowboy.

The other five resembled the older Vehicons being of the same frame type, but having a gray and crimson color scheme instead of the expected Decepticon purple.

They each stepped at the same time, maintaining a loose ‘v’ formation easily until they reached the center of the village courtyard. Most of them came to a stop except for the Optimus look-alike who proceeded forward to address the gathering crowd.

“Where are they?” Was his only question.

The villagers shifted and murmured in confusion. The mech began to pace in a controlled manner. Five steps left, pivot, five steps right, pivot... The villagers watched, and grew worried. The mech’s pacing increased.

“No one remembers, hm,” the tone used caused the villagers to all take a step back. “Allow me to refresh your memories then.”

Unclipping a blaster from his side, the unstable mech took aim at the nearest villager in one fluid motion. “Where,” the blaster started to hum, “Are,” a purple glow highlighted the frightened villager’s faceplates. “Th-”

“Here!” A voice interrupted, servo shooting up and waving wildly.

The mech slowly turned his helm towards the sound of the voice. Red Alert caught up to Sideswipe who was still waving his servo. The blaster slowly lowered, and the mech that held it walked towards Sideswipe before he stopped a few feet away.

“Sideswipe. It’s been ages, hasn’t it?” the mech tilted his helm.

“For good reason,” Sideswipe lowered his servo. The mech’s visor glimmered slightly, and cast a purple glow that stood out against the dusk. Whatever emotion he might have been feeling was well hidden thanks to his battle mask.

“Now,” the mech said, his voice soft, “Let’s not be rude. I’m here merely to retrieve something you stole from the Providence.”

Sideswipe jerked forward, “Your military branch will end once we show Cybertron the horrors you’ve committed.”

“Sideswipe, you confuse horror with peace. And I’m afraid the New Order of Cybertron will never know.” The familiar hum of blasters being onlined sung to the last word out of the dark mech’s vocalizer. Vehitroopers began to mentally pick targets as to who would be the first, should the order be given, offlined. 

While most of the crowd cowered in fear of imminent death, Red Alert stepped towards the dark mech, refusing to obey a regime that acted through fear instead of reason and negotiation. “There is nothing of importance here,” this seemed to catch the mech’s attention. “You, as a military branch of the New Order have no warrant,” Red Alert continued. He snickered at Red Alert’s attempt to have the final word. The one sentence that would send them running from the village, but their business here was not yet finished. And the taller mech had no interest in leaving until he completed the task at hand.

“Oh, but I do. Him,” he said, pointing to Sideswipe. “Standing there is reason enough. Him, and Optimus’s little movement.” Sideswipe seemed to crumble under the weight of his stare. That sickening visor shattered every ounce of confidence his demeanor could possibly muster. “Search the houses!” 

And with that the Vehitroopers broke off. Doors were blasted down as the Providence intruded on the innocents’ homes. Various belongings were thrown from windows. Some mundane objects, and others of sentimental value that said owner immediately rushed to save from cruel servos.  
Sideswipe’s optics widened at the sight. His mouth plates hung in the air, horrified. “You can’t! You don’t-” Sideswipe was interrupted as the dark mech stepped unnervingly close to him. 

“You, are my warrant,” he said, touching Sideswipe’s badge. Its frowned face looked gloomily at the servo that touched it. The visored mech paid no mind, only turning to Red Alert. 

“You.” Red Alert tilted his head to look at him.

“Where do you live?” Red Alert stiffened at the tone, but remained silent. General Providence stepped forward and pointed to the single hut that rested on the highest point of the village.

“There.” The mech nodded, satisfied.

“General, stay here with Sideswipe,” the visored mech turned and seemed to pierce down Sideswipe, “Make sure he doesn’t leave.”

General Province inclined his head in a shallow bow, “Yes, sir.”

The room was the same as it was when Red Alert rushed Bee out the secret passage, and then ran after Sideswipe. He gave an inner sigh of relief.

The visored mech pushed past Red Alert, and trailed his servos over minor objects until he caught sight of the screen playing “Minibot battle royale!” He tilted his helm, and put his servos to rest on the center table. The slight change in Red Alert’s posture didn’t go unnoticed.

“Tell me,” the mech looked at Red Alert, “how long have you had this table?”

The almost bored look coupled with the nonchalant reply of, “A few hundred vorns,” was not quite enough to convince the mech.

“Longer than I’ve been a detective.” Red Alert quietly scoffed. The visored mech decided to ignore him, “You know what I learned during my time in the academy?”

“How to use a magnifying glass?” came the less than a quiet snark. The mech chuckled.

“No,” he turned and slid his servos along the edge of the table, “You can tell someone is hiding something by the slightest change in the way they stand and talk.” He continued running his servos over the table, watching Red Alert until he stopped directly in the center.

“You’re holding your vent in.” He circled the area, “Allow me to release it.” He punched through, and into the table, sending bits of metal and sparks flying.

The mech moved his servo aside, revealing two empty slots. A barely audible sigh was released from Red Alert. The visored mech turned to face him.

“Two slots? What exactly were you hiding?”

Red Alert smirked, “Toast.”

The mech’s visor glimmered a soft purple. “A regular Cybertronian would have had no idea what that word meant,” the mech took a deliberate step forward, “but as for me.... I’ve been to Earth as well.” Red Alert’s optics widened and shot up, meeting the visor.

“Tell me,” the tone caused shivers to run up and down Red Alert’s back cabling, “Where is he?”  
The villagers were scattered about, forming a loose second ring behind the vehitroopers which gave them an excellent vantage point as Red Alert was hauled to the center of the main courtyard by the visored mech’s servo clasped around his neck cabling.

“No!” Sideswipe rushed forward, but was stopped short as General Province's blaster was aimed point blank to his spark chamber. Everyone froze.

The moment was broken as soon as Red Alert coughed up a few drops of Energon. He was vaguely aware of a purple glow coming closer to his helm.

The visored mech settled into a kneeling position, “You know that this can all stop.” It almost sounded sincere enough to make Red Alert laugh, “Just tell me where he is.”

Red Alert remained quiet, spitting remnants of Energon to the ground only to have the viored mech draw back and ram his helm into the spot beside it. Red’s cry echoed Sideswipe’s who could do nothing, but look on in fear of his friend’s life as the violet mech’s frame shook with rage.

“Where. Is. He.” Each word was punctuated with a blow. Only the sound of metal on metal responded.

“WHERE IS HE!!!” With no reply forthcoming, the visored mech shot up, powering on his blaster.

“Let Red Alert be an example!” the blaster leveled with the red and white medic’s helm as he was struggling to stay balanced on his hands and knees. But, before the blaster could go off, a grenade was thrown near them.

The explosion sent Red Alert and the visored mech flying. Sideswipe and the General Province were knocked back on their afts from the force of the blast. Sideswipe quickly stumbled to his peds, running to where Red Alert was thrown and urgently shook him.

“Red!” a tired and pained groan sounded from the fallen mech.

“I’m going to feel that in the morning.”

“We have to go! C’mon!” Sideswipe pulled Red Alert into a somewhat standing position almost as soon as the visored mech pushed himself into a kneeling position.

“Line the villagers up!” he snapped to a group of vehitroopers.

“Sir,” General Province tried to caution, “if we do this, the new Order will-”

“Line them up!” he turned and towered over General Province who merely inclined his helm in a submissive pose, “They are in cooperation with the enemy! These radicals that openly attacked us!”

General Province still hesitated, just barely keeping from flinching as the visored mech stepped towards him and took a deep vent. Whatever he was about to say next was lost when a second grenade landed near them. General Province kicked it with his ped, and watched it detonate near a house some distance away.

“So much for that,” a voice sounded followed by, “HYah!” A white mech with red and green highlights lept from behind a nearby structure towards the Vehitroopers. One unlucky trooper was the first to be shot through the spark as the mech took action. 

Chaos ensued as laser fire was intermingled between the troopers and the radical mech. The visored mech and the General remained where they were, having faith in the combat capabilities of the Vehitroopers. Unlike the Vehicons of old, Vehitroopers shared a cortical patch with one another. Each one sharing in their conjoined feelings and emotions. Another difference that set them apart from the Decepticons’ drones.

Anger, and pain is what the troopers shared in that moment. Anger being the last thing the trooper that had been offlined felt, and pain being the only thing left from the gaping hole in the trooper’s chest. The radical mech had been swift with his swords, stabbing two more troopers. The visored mech had begun to recognize the technique used by the radical mech. It screamed “Wrecker.” He chuckled to himself as a trooper socked the mech across the face. Stunned for a brief moment was all it took as the others began to take their turns beating the mech into submission. Energon and broken bits of metal flew as the onslaught of servos and peds continued. General Province raised a servo. The troopers stopped, and strapped a pair of stasis cuffs to his wrists with a couple more rough knocks to his helm. They took their time dragging him to the visored mech leaving energon drops in the sand.

“Wheeljack,” the visored mech said in a faux amused tone, “You are as annoying as you are capable.”

Wheeljack turned his helm to the side and spat fresh energon before looking up and smirked, “Same to you, old buddy.”

“I don't suppose you'd know where he went?” The visored mech tilted his helm to the side. 

Wheeljack considered for a moment before shrugging as much as he was able to with his servos bound.

“Afraid not, I was just keeping watch.” The visored mech abruptly straightened and motioned to the Vehitroopers. With a sudden jerk, they hauled Wheeljack to his peds.

“My orders still stand General. Line them up.”  
The General looked at the visored mech for a moment before giving a shallow bow, “Yes, sir.”  
“What?” Wheeljack rammed into the Vehitrooper to his right before being restrained again, “No! You can't.” General Province continued to mobilize the troopers who nodded and tugged a line of villagers against a housing unit. Their servos on their helms, and faced the wall.

“Ready!” General Province called.

Red Alert turned his helm to see the terrified villagers and the weapons being powered up. “No! Wait!” He ran to the firing squad with Sideswipe yelling his name, stumbling after him.

“Aim!” The weapons raised, Red Alert still ran towards them.

“No! Please! Wai-” A servo clamped around Red Alert’s neck cabling and slammed him into the ground. Sideswipe stopped and fell to the ground near Red Alert, the villagers pleading accompanied by Red Alert’s.

“No!” is forced out from Red Alert’s throat, “I'll tell you where he is!”

The visored mech caressed the side of Red’s cheek as he whispered, “of course you will.” The visored mech looked to General Province and nodded.  
Red Alert relaxed, relieved until, “Fire!” was yelled with shots sounding into the night.

“No!” The lifeless bodies fell to the earth, sending sand, mixed with smoke from the blackened holes in their chests, into the air.

He barely heard Wheeljack’s, “How could you?” As he clawed and bucked against the mech still pinning him to the moon’s sand. The question earned nothing more than a glance from the visored mech. He kept his attention on Red Alert venting heavily into the sand. 

“Now then,” he continued. “Where is Bumblebee?”  
With what strength he had left, Red Alert glared into the sickening purple visor. “Gone, and that’s the truth,” he said. The visor held ghostly still. Red began to grow uncomfortable at the silence he received from the stronger mech. Movement, as the visor grew closer to his optics. It stopped from barely touching his optics.

“Unfortunately, I believe you,” he said. The visored mech released Red Alert as he stood to meet General Province. The medic tried to push himself back up, but collapsed back into the sand. He coughed up more energon, and stained the moon’s surface beneath him. The iridescent blue droplets glew in the night. “Line up another round!”

“DARKWING, STOP!” A voice wailed like a banshee, and penetrated the visord mech’s spark. He stilled at the sound, recognizing who it came from and smirked internally. 

“Bumblebee. How I’ve missed you,” Darkwing said. 

“Please stop this,” Bumblebee stood some distance away from the carnage near the edge of the main courtyard.

“Don’t worry, I will,” Darkwing began to leisurely walk towards Bumblebee, “I just need you to return the data pads you stole.”

Bee took a step back. Darkwing stilled mid-stride, and remained unmoving. Bumblebee noticed movement as the visored mech extended a servo. At the same time, General Province leveled the muzzle of his blaster with Wheeljack’s helm. The servo stayed outstretched. 

“Bee, don’t!”

“Shut-up!” Darkwing backhanded the wrecker, earning a sudden yelp. Wheeljack’s helm stayed to one side before looking back into the sick, purple visor with horrified optics.

“Sir...” General Province inclined his helm.

“What?!” After a moment of silence, he took a deep invent and exhaled. “Bumblebee,” Darkwing held out his servo, “the pads if you will.” Bee stared at the outstretched servo.

“No...” Sideswipe whispered and squeezed Red Alert’s shoulder pad. From across the courtyard Wheeljack struggled with his cuffs and earned a kick to the back of his helm. General Province leveled the muzzle of his blaster again.

“All this-” Darkwing motioned to the lifeless castes, and the scene that surrounded him, “could have been avoided.” He started to walk towards Bumblebee again. “If only you had the courage to make a decision sooner.”

Bee tensed up as the visored mech advanced. Movement over Darkwing’s shoulder caught his attention. Wheeljack shook his wrists lightly before pointing to his cuffs. He moved as if readjusting and mouthed the word “go” before he broke one of his servos free and used the other to uppercut General Province.

Darkwing stopped his approach at the sound of metal on metal, and turned just in time to see The General crash onto the sandy floor. 

Bee took several steps back from Darkwing before leading into a full on run. “Sideswipe!”

Red Alert shook Sideswipe’s servo off his shoulder and urged him up towards the direction Bee had gone.

“But-” Sideswipe protested.

“Go!” Red Alert shoved him again before he turned and ran towards the remaining villagers, several of whom had started to run with Bumblebee. After amassing his group, he hobbled as quickly as he could on the path leading up to his shack with a line of villagers that trailed behind him.

Sideswipe took one more look around before he left Wheeljack to fight Darkwing and ran to urge the slower villagers to follow Bee faster.  
Bumblebee caught sight of the bright painted on name of Wheeljack’s personal ship on the outer territory of the village and called back, “C’mon! Almost there!” As the villagers too caught sight of the ship, they quickened their pace.

Bee slammed his servo on the control panel and guided the escaped villagers onto the ramp as Sideswipe surveyed the surrounding area for threats. With the last villager safely aboard, he joined Sideswipe and waited for a red, white, and green figure to appear.

After several long moments Sideswipe shifted from pede to pede before he said, “Bee...”

Bumblebee sighed before he turned his helm and started up the ramp; it was only Sideswipe’s quick reflexes that kept him from getting a hole blown through his helm by blaster fire. Both mechs scrambled to their peds as they witnessed General Province stalking towards them.

The ship’s engines fired to life as the ship itself took shots to its hull, until it ascended to the sky and left the small moon of Astrea.

Shortly after they left, the clouds above were illuminated by a sinister red glow. The sound of the Providence Peace Ship's engines shook the atmosphere with such force that the clouds began to break apart on the descent of the eight thousand meter long starship. Its aquarian structure had come to strike fear in the sparks of Cybertronians in recent years. They were twice as long as the Nemesis, and far more deadly than any warship that had been manufactured within the past eon. 

The Prosecutor was the first Peace Ship created. It had been outfitted with the most advanced weaponry systems, and carried planetary tracking that could detect cloaked signals. And for this reason, Darkwing sought to make it his personal flagship. The sight of the descending metropolis filled the visored mech with a strange sense of pride as the ship’s very size threw the moon’s atmosphere off balance. 

Done with the village, Darkwing and the rest of his entourage boarded the shuttle. Its engines glew purple, and took flight as it ascended into the Prosecutor’s front hangar bay. Moments after, the ship’s lower laser cannons released hellfire upon the village. The energy dome struggled to uphold its protective barrier, but ultimately collapsed inwardly on itself. A roar of wind cracked through the night as a mushroom cloud of blue smoke towered into the morning sky, barely reaching the hull of the Prosecutor. Once certain that the village had been reduced to dust, the laser fire stopped and the Prosecutor ascended back into orbit. Its engines left behind a temporary red glow that disappeared shortly after.

Inside the cockpit of the Jackhammer, Bumblebee startled as a bright light lit his viewscreen. The villagers crowded against the windows, and cried out as their homes were replaced with a cloud of sand and ash as the Prosecutor slowly drifted away.

Sideswipe lifted his servo to the glass plane, “Where do we go now?”

Bumblebee stared ahead, servos tapping against the controllers,“Home… I think.”

Sideswipe snorted, “Sounds like a plan.”


End file.
